


Date

by Sevi (KelSevi)



Category: Shin Megami Tensei II
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-01
Updated: 2016-10-01
Packaged: 2018-08-18 22:55:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8178916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KelSevi/pseuds/Sevi
Summary: Aleph wasn’t sure what to expect when Louis slipped him a note in the Makai bar and silently put a finger over his smiling lips.





	

**Author's Note:**

> * To clarify, this story follows the Chaos ending of Shin Megami Tensei II.

Aleph wasn’t sure what to expect when Louis slipped him a note in the Makai bar and silently put a finger over his smiling lips. At the time, he and Hiroko were gathering information on the area so they could figure out how to find Abaddon.

He slipped it into his pocket and forgot about it until a little later, when the two of them camped out in Yesod waiting for the New Moon.

Hiroko had already fallen asleep. Aleph fished out the note and opened it, curiously…

He turned bright red and stuffed the note back into his pocket.

…This was, of course, quite a while ago, though how long exactly, he was not sure. Aleph had lost all track of time during the Millennium crisis, and even after re-establishing the date and time he still failed to have a good grasp on deadlines, always showing up several minutes early or late.

But this time, Aleph shows up right on time.

Kether Castle, a couple of weeks after the Millennium crisis. He had met Gemori several times while making his way here, with her insistence that she could take him straight to the castle. Every time, he sent her away.

Now, he wonders if he should have taken her up on that offer. The thought of responding to Louis’s invitation still made his legs weak.

Which is silly. There’s no reason for him to feel this weird. Still…

Aleph hesitates in front of the entrance, and then pulls out the note he kept safely in his pocket to reread it for what seemed like the millionth time.

\- - -

_Dear Messiah,_

_My business with you is not quite over. You must have suspicions about who I am, or rather, who you believe me to be. I, too, have suspicions about you. Unconfirmed, of course, and I would be pleased to be proven wrong._

_Should all that comes to pass be pleasant, I would not mind having a drink with you._

_Alone. If that is all right with you, of course._

_If not, it has been a pleasure knowing you thus far. I hope to meet you again soon, on favorable terms._

_\- Louis Cyphre_

\- - -

In retrospect, Aleph feels sillier for even getting this worked up about it. _It’s just a letter,_ he tells himself. They’re friends, and Louis clearly enjoyed his presence as much then as he does now. And, anyway, they haven’t had a precious moment alone since rebuilding Tokyo became a top priority for the underground dwellers and the few stragglers and survivors of Millennium’s collapse.

_So why can’t he go through the damn door??_

Before Aleph can scold himself any further, the door opens on its own.

Louis stands before him, smiling that honey-sweet smile of his. One hand is settled behind his back, and the other set on his chest. It was always there, as if he were making a suggestion of some sort.

“Ah, Aleph. You did receive my invitation, after all. Though, it looks quite crumpled…”

Aleph blushes and stuffs the letter away. “Um, no, ah, it’s right… right here. That was, uh… something else.” He pulls out a much more pristine letter, written in blue ink on pink paper.

“Oh? Yes, so it would seem that way. Now then, please, come in.” Louis steps back and lets Aleph in.

The two walk quietly through the halls. Though it has been some time since Aleph first infiltrated the castle, he never actually had a chance to check out all the more domestic rooms. He can see several demons roaming around, conducting themselves in an orderly manner - at least when they see Louis coming.

Aleph notes that they never leave the bottom floor. Louis leads Aleph to the end of a long hallway, knocks on a door and opens it before peering in. Suddenly, a flood of demons frantically pour out of the room, smelling quite strongly of beer and wine. Even Aleph, versed in the ways of the bar, has to wince at the scent.

Once the pack of demons vacates the area, Louis steps aside once again, and Aleph lets himself into the room.

While he had only known Louis for a couple of weeks, in that timespan he discovered that he is quite the flashy man. His castle stood high and mighty, he drank only the finest, most expensive alcohol macca could buy in this world and the next, and…

“…This bar has a disco floor,” Aleph states, dumbfounded. “And a DJ stand.” Indeed it did, though they appear to be rather empty and dusty.

“Ah, they go unused most of the time,” Louis explains, walking past Aleph and over to the counter. “I allow certain high-ranking officials to throw parties to raise morale, but sometimes groups of ne'er-do-wells sneak in and help themselves.” He opens a door leading to a wine cellar. “Any preference? Or shall I choose for you?”

Aleph can only stumble toward the bar stools and lean on the counter after taking in such a sight. He nods dumbly at Louis, who smiles in return and disappears to the back.

When Louis returns with two bottles of wine, he finds Aleph re-reading the crumpled note once more. He looks deeply in thought.

“Did you have other matters to attend to?” Louis asks sincerely as he sets the bottles on the counter and pulls out two wine glasses. Aleph snaps back to reality and fumbles with the paper frantically.

“Oh! No! This is, ah, it’s nothing! Really.” He grins nervously at Louis.

Louis stares right through Aleph, neither amused nor convinced. “… I suppose it must be nothing, since you clearly chose to respond to my invitation in spite of it.”

Aleph sweats and his grin falters a little. “Y… yeah.”

The glasses are filled, and Louis returns to Aleph’s side of the counter to join him.

They taste sweet, yet bitter. Aleph shivers as he takes a sip.

For a moment, the atmosphere was just right. The soft lighting of the room… the two of them, relaxing, drinking, as friendly as can be…

And then Aleph blurts out a weird question. Like weirdos with things on their mind tend to do.

“W-we’re friends, right?” A pause. “Um– I mean… Where would you say our relationship is at?”

For some reason, Louis seems to have anticipated that question. “I would say we are quite close… You have done me and my people a great service, and I would hope that I am providing you with the same in rebuilding Tokyo and helping her people.”

Aleph mulls over his answer, and he nods, slowly.

“… But that isn’t the answer you’re seeking, is it?”

Oops. The jig’s up. Aleph rubs the back of his neck, embarrassed. “No… it’s not.”

“Then say what’s on your mind. You know I don’t bite.” Louis takes a sip of his drink and smiles at Aleph.

God, that smile. He almost forgets to breathe, looking at it.

“Well… I’ve just had something on my mind for a while now. Actually… that time that me and Hiroko came in through the back entrance of Makai, as a matter of fact.”

“Oh?”

Aleph debates handing over the crumpled letter, and then decides to do so when he reasons that Louis probably doesn’t remember writing it.

He shows Louis the letter. Louis takes it and scrutinizes it, feeling out the crumples and making out his blurry handwriting from the wear and tear of the paper. Finally, he sets it down on the table and picks his glass back up.

All he has to say for himself is: “Hmm… I see.”

Aleph… looks down at the paper, and then back at Louis. “… Well?”

“Well, what?”

“Well… aren’t you going to tell me about that? What did you mean by it?”

Louis swirls his drink around in his glass. “I meant what I wrote, and I wrote what I meant. Are we not fulfilling the contents of this note right now?”

“Y-yes, but…!” Aleph’s cheeks burn red, partially from feeling like a fool and partially for another, distinct reason. “I… I just, I thought I had read something else in it.”

“Hmmm?” The tone in Louis’s voice becomes unbearably intrigued, as if he were toying with Aleph and dragging him along this long, drawn-out thought process. “And what would that be?”

… … … Uhh.

Aleph awkwardly plays with his wine glass. Somehow, he doesn’t think he’s going to get Louis to say it, so he clears his throat.

“… I just… thought you were interested in me, that’s all.”

It’s quiet for a moment. Then, he can hear chuckling.

“Is that all? Why, of course I’m interested in you, Aleph. As the savior of my people–”

“No, that’s not what I meant! I mean– argh!”

Words failing him, Aleph acts on instinct, latches onto Louis - the first thing he can grab is the lapel of Louis’s jacket –

and he kisses Louis on the lips.

… It’s long and drawn out. He can feel Louis tense up, but only barely through his own tensed muscles. Even as tense as he is, though, he finds himself melting…

**…**

..

.

Aleph breaks the kiss, feeling like his chest is about to implode and his head lighter than air. He feels warm and tingly all over.

Then he thinks to look at Louis.

Of course he’s grinning from ear to ear. It seems a little unnatural to see him beaming so brightly, but he must have expected _something_ of the sort. There’s no other explanation.

Aleph groans and covers his face with his hands. “You played me like a damn fiddle, Louis…”

“I prefer to think of it as… leading you to the path you chose.”

“Shut up… You’re being too cryptic for this.”

“Now, now.” Louis wipes that smug grin off his face and leans forward. “If I had known you wanted to make this a date so soon, I would have picked somewhere fancier than this. Perhaps somewhere more… private.”

“…?” Aleph cautiously peeks through his fingers at Louis. Helpfully, Louis juts a thumb behind them. Suddenly, a shiver runs down Aleph’s spine and he feels a lot colder than he did a moment ago.

He turns around.

Gemori (along with several demons under her command) disappear behind the door, the sounds of cackling and giggling following them out.

Aleph collapses on the counter, swearing very unlawful threats to no one in particular. Louis pats his back, comfortingly.

“Some date this turned out to be…”


End file.
